Car coupler operating device



y 1932- A. E. SMALL 1,865,729

CAR COUPLER OPERATING DEVICE Filed April 22, 1951 z zventor L Arifi ur $517117]! my. 5 a: a;

iorngy Patented July 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT cre ice ARTHUR IE. SMALL, OF- CHICAGO, ILLINO IS, ASSIG'NOR. TO UNION METAL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE CAR COUPLER OPERATING DEVICE Application filed April 22,

This invention relates to a device for op erating a railway car coupler mounted upon the car for lateral and longitudinal movement and having a pivoted knuckle providedwith a tail engageable with a knuckle lock to which such an operating device is connected. The invention relates specifically to a railway car coupler having an anti-creep feature which is so formed that the lock can Q be raised to an unlocked position by the operating device, but cannot be raised by the creeping action of the locks due to the service movements of the car. Some of such couplers are provided with a rotatable member (or rotor) secured to the underside of the coupler head for transmitting operating move ments to the lock.

An object of the invention is to provide an operating device for such rotor type cou- 5 pler with which an operator canrotate the rotor of the coupler from adjacent the side of the car so that he is not required to go between the cars which is dangerous and hazardous.

Another object is to provide such a device which accommodates the longitudinal and lateral service movements of the coupler without effecting the efficiency of the device.

Another object is to provide a device where- -in the handle thereof will return to normal vertical position when the coupler is left in lock-set position.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an operating device which is operi able from anywhere between the coupler and the side wall of the car so that a trainman may throw the knuckle lock with one hand and operate the cou ler with the other hand.

Another object oi the invention is to pr0- vide a car coupler operating device which may also be used as a car coupler positioning device; that is, may be used to position the coupler laterally.

Another object is to provide a device have ing an operating rod which forms the han- 1931. Serial No. 531,984.

Safety Appliance Acts specify that the depending handle of an operating rod for car coupler shall not exceed fiften inches (15) from the center of the fulcrum to the end of the handle, therefore, the mechanical leverage obtainable by such a handle is the dis-J tance from the center of the operators hand to the fulcrum, which is usually about twelve inches (12"). However, when an operator grabs the horizontal portion of my device the distance from the center of his hand to the fulcrum (bracket bearing) is the full fifteen inches (15") and the device complies with the law, therefore, the lever arm has been increased about twenty-five percent (25%).

In other words, with the sameamount of force applied my mechanism is twenty-five percent (25%) stronger than the device now in-general use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a horizontal step for trainmen climbing up or down the car, which might also be used as a horizontal grab iron for a'trainman caught between the cars. 3

Another objectof the invention is toprovide such an operating device with a pedal or means wherebyithetrainman may operate the carcoupler while riding the car.

In thedrawing: 1

Fig. 1 shows a plan view of the endof a railway car with my invention applied there-'1 on. i

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the operating rodand bracket.

' Fig. 3 is a front elevation-of Fig.1.

Figs. 4 and 5 show a modifiedconstruc tion. v i '1. T The coupler 2, as is customary, is mounted upon the car so as to move laterally and ion-- gitudinally thereof in service. The couplercomprises a rotor 3 arranged to operate the coupler upon rotation thereof,which rotor is usually supported below thecoupler head4 by, means integral with the coupler. (A typical coupler of this type isshown in Kinne" Patent No:'1,639,300,-'August 16, 192? Figs. -1, 2 and?) showthe'preferred form of my invention wherein the bracket 6' is mounted upon the car and comprises asub stantially horizontal. portionorbearing 8' spaced from the car. The operating rod comprises a shank 12 with its inner end opera tively connected to the rotor 3 of the coupler and a substantially upright member 13 at its outer end slidably supported at its upper end upon the bearing 8 of the bracket so that as the coupler moves laterally in service the opcrating rod slides back and forth on the horizontal bearing of the bracket. If desired, the upper end of the upright member may have a slidable engagement with the bearing as shown.

The device is operated by swinging the operating rod shank 12 around the axis of the bearing 8, which is done by preferably catching hold of the rod adjacent the upright member. However, the rod may be grabbed anywhere between its connection. to the coupler and the upright member 13. Furthermore, the coupler can be moved laterally by means of this operating rod forming what is commonly called a coupler positioning device.

The operating rod is provided with an extension 20 extending preferably above the bracket 6 which preferably is inclined to ward the car. This extension forms a pedal so that the device may be operated by the foot of the trainman while riding the car. In practice it is customary for the trainmen to stand on the sill step of the car while the car is moving toward the car to which it is to be coupled.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 showthe operating rod formed of a rolled steel round bar twisted around the bearing 8 of the bracket 6 and extended upwardly and inwardly to form the pedaL. However, the pedal may be made of any desired construction.

Figs. 4 and 5 show a modified form wherein the pedal 30 extends toward the side wall 31 of the car and toward the end wall 32 of the car. In this form the extension or pedal 30 is in a substantially horizontal plane. If desired, the pedal may extend behind the push pocket 33, as shown, and extended to adjacent the sidewall of the car for accessi bility.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described,-as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within, the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled. in the art.

I claim: y r

1. In a railway car provided with a coupler having a member mounted'thereon arranged to operate said coupler upon rotation of an operating rod, the combination of a bracket mounted upon the car, and an operating rod having a shank operatively connected at its inner end to said member, said shank being bent upwardly at its outer end'to form a substantially upright part for manual operation of the device, the upper end of said part rotatively connected to said bracket, said upright part extended above said bracket and inclined toward the car so as to form a pedal for operating the device by foot.

2. In a railway car provided with a coupler having a member mounted thereon arranged to operate said coupler upon rotation of an operating rod, the combination of a bracket mounted upon the car provided with an elongated bearing, and an operating rod having a shank operatively connected at its inner end to said member, said shank being bent upwardly at its outer end to form a substantially upright part for manual operation of the device, the upper end of said part rotatively and slidably mounted upon said bearing, said upright part extended above said bracket and inclined toward the car so as to form a pedal for operating the device by foot.

ARTHUR E. SMALL. 

